


Annie

by dan_arrow



Series: Daily Lives of the 104th [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-16
Updated: 2014-01-16
Packaged: 2018-01-09 00:03:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1139068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dan_arrow/pseuds/dan_arrow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Annie doesn't feel like going anywhere but the guys refuse to leave her alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Annie

            “If the event is at Eren’s, then Mikasa will definitely be present and I sure as hell am not in any mood to see her,” Annie argued. “Sasha and Connie will be there too. And you and I both know that those two freaks never shut up.” Annie skipped the fact that Armin would be there, since the point wouldn’t help her case in evading the get together. “Not to mention that horse face will probably be there.”

            “But you never leave!” Reiner gave her an impatient glare as Bertholdt stood idly at the doorway. “You’ve excluded yourself from the group as if we never cared. You need to take into account the fact that everyone misses you.”

            She sat up and glared back. “That guardian side of you suits you well, Reiner. Want to go talk to my dad about my ever so apathetic behavior?”

            The gravity of her retort left Reiner speechless. He and Bert both knew of the rigid relation Annie shared with her father. Reiner avoided Annie’s face of pure malice and traced the walls of the bedroom. It was a bland grayish blue. A few handwritten letters were pinned on the wall. Her desk was bare except for two hardcover books and a cracked oil lamp. Although every other member of her squad shared a room, Annie had resided to one by herself. Whether it was by choice or coincidence, neither Reiner nor Bertholdt appreciated Annie’s seclusion.

            Before Reiner could think of a comeback, Annie hopped up from her bed, dismissing the conversation with a waving hand. However Bertholdt was blocking the doorway, preventing Annie’s escape.

            She pushed at Bert’s chest. The boy didn’t budge. “Move dude, I’m not even joking!” Annie backed up a little and rammed at him harder. Bert stood boldly in place, only slightly balancing his figure with the door frame.

            “I’m sorry,” he replied with slight hesitation. “But I’m with Reiner on this one. You never hang out with everyone.”

            “You’ll never know if it’s the last time we’ll get to see you,” Reiner said.

            The words stung because they were entirely true. Annie could feel herself starting to choke up.

            Reiner reached for Annie’s arm but she dodged his touch and landed a semi-fierce punch on his jaw.

            “Don’t fucking touch me.” Annie’s eyes were red. Although she felt a lump in her throat, she refused to let a single tear roll down her cheek. She hated the thought of them seeing her bawl, and she also dreaded the fight they were having.

            “You’re being an idiot,” Reiner replied gently. “We just thought it’d be a little more fun to see everyone rather than stay in here.”

            Annie let out an empty laugh at Reiner’s poor choice of words. “Then leave boring old me and hang out with everyone else.”

            “But we don’t want you to sit here all alone,” Bert said.

            Ever since the 104th graduation, there was a blatant barrier of communication between Annie and the rest. As Annie chose the Garrison, the rest of her comrades resolved to the Survey Corps. Since she lacked the drive to initiate any relationships with her new team, Annie served her daily rotation and resigned from society for the rest of the day. Foreseeing Annie’s indifference, Reiner and Bert made it a promise to visit whenever they could.

            But people were dying. Annie remembered the mindless tricks they played on each other in trainee camp. The impudence they had to act foolish in such a grave time. And now, as they have their own duties to complete, they still want to play.

            Annie went through a process of self-evaluation every time she saw or heard about a casualty. She has so far failed to adapt to the empty metallic scent of a deceased person. How was it decent, fair or honorary for so many people to be dying and for her to still be living? Humanity has resorted to the construction of walls in order to salvage life. Yet people are still _dying_ while she gets live. And in every strenuous effort to save humanity, nothing has thus far proved effective. How could she not conceal herself in guilt?

            They now looked down at Annie in the midst of her thought. She had to lift her chin to find their eyes. The gaze cut through Annie’s defenses. It made her feel like a child, whining and irritable. She was independent and clever, bold even. Compared to the rest of her team in the Garrison, Annie was the most efficient and diligent worker. But to them, Reiner and Bert, Annie was a person. Messed up, isolated, and confused.

            Annie put her head down so they wouldn’t see her face. “I don’t care.”

            “Yes you do.” Bertholdt raised a delicate hand and patted Annie’s head.

            Annie let her arms wrap around Bert’s warm waist and hid her face in his torso. She squeezed her eyes shut. She felt like a baby, with little power. The bitter feeling of uselessness was immense. Annie felt completely unarmed. What has she done for the sake of humanity?

            Reiner reached for her arm again, but retracted. Annie seemed to be lost in Bertholdt’s motions of comfort. The betrayal scorched Reiner’s cheeks. Bertl won this round.

            Instead, Reiner walked to Annie’s dresser and rummaged through the stacks of neatly folded clothes. “So what are you going to wear?”

            “I said I don’t feel like going,” Annie murmured, still buried in Bertholdt’s embrace.

            “I’m not taking that as an answer.”

            Reiner pulled out a blue V-neck sweater. “Hey Bert, isn’t this yours?” A smirk danced on his face.

            Flushed, Annie jumped away from Bert, silently praying that he wouldn’t say anything.

            To her disappointment, Bertholdt looked up and immediately recognized the piece of clothing. “Yeah, I think so.” His face brightened with amusement.

            Bert and Reiner exchanged sly looks. Annie could feel herself melting in the heat of her blush. She unceremoniously bolted towards Reiner with the intent of tackling him. But Reiner braced his muscles, making the attack have little impact.

            “Weak,” Reiner taunted, still holding the sweater.

            “Shut up, and give it back!”

            Reiner threw the sweater to Bertholdt, who held the article of clothing high above his head.

            Annie scrunched her face up in irritability. “You guys are fucking terrible!” She reached up in a lazy attempt to get the sweater back.

            “Say you’ll go to with us to Eren’s.” Bert ordered.

            She folded her arms across her chest. “I’m not playing this game.”

            “Then we can just take the sweater back to our base and see you later,” Reiner said teasing.

            Annie knew that as much as they were kidding, they really did want her to attend the party. Even if she wanted to evade the immature games of the 104th, they were family. The world was cruel. Despite all the morbid adversity they’ve witnessed, they still laugh. They do not confine themselves in a space of their own. They do not shut down at the sight of human remains. They understand and use each other for security. The sweater well warranted Annie’s need for other people. She needed them. She had kept the sweater in order to remember Bert and the rest of the 104th. The same concept was applicable to Mikasa’s tacky ass scarf.

            “Fine,” Annie acquiesced. “I’ll go.”

**Author's Note:**

> I got lazy at the last paragraph and the title of the series is inspired by Daily Lives of High school Boys.


End file.
